Our Big Fat Disney Vacation

[kangaand2roos]

Hi...My name is Stacey and I am a Disney Addict...

I am 41 years old and have been to WDW about 30 times and DLR 3. Most of my trips have been in the last 5 years. My DD5 Annika has been to WDW 17 times. My DS3 Charlie has been 8 times.

Last year we were on a Disney hiatus and didn't go at all. So far this year, Annika and I have taken a girls only trip in Feb, and John and I just got back from an adults only weekend (it was AMAZING, BTW.)

When Annika and I were on our trip in Feb, I knew we had to return before she started kindergarten, because I know that once the kids are in real school it'll be harder and harder to get to the "World."

My original plan was to try to talk my DH into DVC and use points to stay at AKL, but he's not buyin'! So I booked Pop for 10 nights using a 20% discount code.


Uh Oh, it's picnic time...gotta run...I'll write more later...

Stace

 

[kangaand2roos]

So,

A few weeks after I booked POP, my husband suggested that I try Hotwire to see if i could get a better deal. I looked, but nothing looked that appealing. It did get me thinking about suites or condos though. One night a few days later, I spontaneously, in the middle of the night, decided that we would drive instead of fly.

Oh...did I mention that I would be traveling alone with the 2 kids...yes you heard me right. John will only be joining us for a few days in the middle. I did just say that I would be driving between PA and FL by myself, with to pre-schoolers. At the time I made this decision, and still now, it sounded like a fun adventure.

Ask me again after it's over!

So, driving down would allow me to have a car, and to bring more stuff than I would normally carry when I fly, so i started thinking off-property again. I did a search for Disney Condos and ultimately found a complex that sounded great. I sent an inquirey and got loads of responses.

At this point I had decided that as long as I was driving, I really should take a little bit longer and stretch the trip to two full weeks at WDW (plus travel time) and because of this, I really wanted to have a kitchen and a little more elbow room, so a condo sounded great.

After about a week, I settled on one for 2 weeks, between Aug 9 and 23. As I said, I got many resoponses to my inquiry and ultimately chose a unit very near the pool.

It's bigger than I need, but John may bring my MIL down for the few days he plans to be with us (he can't take off that much time from work.)

Because we are staying so long, I'm going to try to take it easy and keep feed expenses in a reasonable range. We'll mostly eat breakfast at the condo, lunches and dinners in the parks when we're there, or at the condo if we've returned for a break. I did make some ADR's though. A couple of old favorites and a few new ones for us.

I will reveal these later when I get to the schedule!

 

[stagemomx3]

Wow you are brave to take a road trip by yourself with two preschoolers!

 

[adisneymama]

Aubrey and I are here and reading! Great start and you are brave driving that far by yourself! Can't wait to see how it goes!

 

[kangaand2roos]

Hi again and nice to see subscribers! (Hi Aubrey!)

So, with lodging arranged and travel decided, I needed to work on schedule. We were beyond the 6 month point so WDW had not released their park hours yet, so I couldn't work on a frim schedule yet, but worked on a rough outline.

We will leave for Florida on Thursday, the 7th of August. Hopefully we will only need to travel 2 days/one night, but we have an extra day built in, just in case. If we are doing well, we'll get to the Orlando area a night early and get extra time at Disney, but if we need the time to keep everyone happy and sane, we'll take it.

Coming home we will leave on Saturday the 23rd. If we feel the need for it, we'll spend a couple of hours at the MK before leaving town, if not, we'll head out early. Again, I hope to do it with one overnight stop, but will take two if necessary.

I have been getting some great tips on traveling alone with little ones. I will share them as I think of them. Two of them, for now, are:

1. When stopping for a break (mostly at McDonalds' with Playlands, I presume) instead of eating and then letting the kids run, let the kids go right to playing and when it's time to get going again, THEN get the food to go and it will occupy 20-30 minutes time for the kidsin the car, while taking the best advantage of the rest stop!

2. Keep a treasure box of toys, games activities and goodies for each child. At the end of each hour, if the children have been well behaved, let them choose a "treasure" from the box.

Any and all additional tips will be greatly appreciated!

More later!

Stacey

 

[kangaand2roos]

So, while I waited for official hours, I worked on some loose plans. We will spend mostly mornings in the parks as we are totally morning people. Since we'll have the brutal August heat to contend with we'll go to the parks for opening and stay until the heat is too much, then go back to the condo to swim and rest. If we feel up to it we will return to the parks in the eveningor we'll resort hop, shop, explore, dine or just hang out at the condo.

I am considering, but haven't decided yet, going to Sea World. I think the kids are old enough to appreciate it, but I'm not sure I want to spend the extra bucks since we'll all have Disney AP's. Any input or advice on that front?

Eventually the dates were released. Knowing that we are staying off prop and that EMH is not an option, this is what I have come up with (st least for now!):

Thursday Aug 7: Leave home at 4:00 a.m.ish and travel until dinner time (as long as we can all tolerate it!

Friday Aug 8: Travel the remainder of the trip, assuming we have gone a decent distance the first day. If we get as far as I hope we will on Thursday, we should arrive in the Orlando area around lunch time. I am considering trying to get a ressie at the Contemporary or AKL for that night if I can get a great AP rate, but if not, we'll probably just stay with Choice Points somewhere off prop.

I am keeping that evening open and will do whatever we are up to, perhaps going to DTD.

Saturday Aug 9: MK (no ADR's)

Sunday Aug 10: AK Boma for dinner at 4:45

Monday Aug 11: Ep

Tuesday Aug 12: DHS

Wednesday Aug 13: MK (return for Spectro and Wishes that evening)

Thursday Aug 14: Sleep in ADR at Chef Mickey's at 9:15 AM Then over to DHS and stay for Fantasmic. ADR for 50's Prime Time Cafe at 6:35

Friday Aug 15th: (probably the day John will arrive) Sleep in again,Epcot and Biergarten at 6:15 and if the kids can take it, Illuminations.

Saturday Aug 16th: Leave Charlie with John for a couple of hours so Annika and I can ride Soarin' and maybe Test Track. Spend the rest of the day relaxing at the condo pool with kids and John. Dinner ADR at Flying Fish Cafe5:55.

Sunday Aug 17th: Leave Annika with John for a couple of hours so Charlie and I can ride Kali River Rapids (maybe the whole family will go to AK and stay for the parade...) Dinner ADR at Jiko 7:10.

Monday, August 18th: Ep or MK ADR at Le Cellier for lunch@ 1:05

Tuesday, Aug 19th: DHS

Wednesday, Aug 20th: MK Lunch ADR @ Whispering Canyon 1:00

Thursday, Aug 21st: EP Lunch ADR @ Rose and Crown 1:00

Friday, Aug 22nd: AK

Saturday, Aug 23rd: MK for a couple of hours and then head home.

Sunday, Aug 24th: remainder of drive home

That's all for now...

Stace

 

[adisneymama]

I'll have to look to see how your days plan out with mine and then we can pencil in the girls date! Sounds good so far! Except all that driving with 2 little ones!

 

[Monica20039]

You're driving! You have the patience of a saint! Can't wait to read more!

 

[kangaand2roos]

You're driving! You have the patience of a saint! Can't wait to read more!

Um...Not so much...I do, however have an adventurous spirit and I think it might be fun (did I really just say that?!)

I though I might tell you a little bit about us today.

As I said before, I am a Disney addict. My dad took my brother and I to WDW in early 1972, only months after the park opened. I was five. Although that was a long, long time ago, I still have a few very clear memories.

Eeyore was especially nice to me and because of this he remains my favorite Disney Character to this day. Pinocchio, on the other hand blew me off as he was running to get somewhere and I really have never managed to warm up to the little wooden guy.

I remember riding and loving the Jungle Cruise. Still a must-do for me at WDW.

I remember having a Hitchhiking Ghost riding in my car at HM, now one of my daughter's favorite things ( she is now as old as I was my first visit!)!

I remember crashing into a train Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and my dad telling me that I could never get a drivers license because of it. LOL!

I remember taking the monorail and seeing cool topiaries on the way to the MK as well as going through the Contemporary.

We went a number of times throughout my childhood. I'm not exactly sure how many.

My senior class trip was a bus trip to WDW in 1984, my first time at Epcot. We had an amazing time and I will never forget it!

In 1989, my boyfriend and I went to WDW for a week. This was my first time at the Disney-MGM Srudios.

In 1997 I won $1000 in a sales contest at work. I was the "new gal" on the totem pole, in a sales force made up mostly of men, so this was a very sweet victory. I decided to use the moneyy to take my sister on a pre law school trip to WDW. We spent a week at the All-Star Music Resort. This trip marked my first time to a water park. We went to Typhoon Lagoon twice. It was also my first time to Pleasure Island. It was great sister bonding time and a great last hurrah for my sis before starting Law School.

In 2003, I was a new mommy and my husband had a business trip to Orlando. He invited me to go along with the baby to get us out of the house a little bit. It was winter and I was a nervous new mom so we were feeling a bit of cabin fever. I jumped at the chance!

Annika was 10 weeks old.

I had 3 potential park days. I had never been to DAK before, so that was my first stop. We had an amazing day. Even at her very young age, Annika was wide eyed at FOTLK.

Because day one went so well, we spent another day in a park. I chose Epcot. (John was working these days, so it was just Annika and I.)

That night marked a momentous occasion in my journey of motherhood. Annika was a needy baby, but I had tired her out so much those 2 days that she fell asleep early and John and I were able to get carry-out at our hotel and I actually ate SITTING DOWN! (You mammas of needy new-borns know what I'm talkin' about!)

Annika and I also both relaxed a bit and settled into our new relationship. I came home a much more relaxed parent and she came back a whole new baby! This trip has a very special place in my heart as it allowed me to start appreciating my new role as someone's mommy.

Our third day John didn't have to work, so he accompanied us to the Magic Kingdom. Our princess got her first character photos and rode lots of rides. She (like most babies) LOVED Amall World and was big eyed the whole time.

A year later, John had another business trip to Orlando, and once again we accompanied him, but this time we stayed a week! I also bought my first AP because John had qualified for a companion pass on Southwest which allowed me to travel free with him any time he flew with them. He had also been given Florida as part of his territory, so I knew we'd have several opportunities to use it!

Time to get ready for school...More later...

Stacey

 

[adisneymama]

Hey Stacey can't wait to hear more. It looks like the 18th would be the best day for us to meet up and let the girls ride a few rides together. Our morning is open as dh will be playing golf. Let me know if you want to meet up at MK! Aubrey is so excited reading her replies from Annika!

Hi Annika!

 

[kangaand2roos]

We had a great trip! So much so that upon returning I decided that we needed to go for the Flower and Garden Festival. Using free flights and a free hotel, Annika and I went for a week in May. It was wonderful!

Before we even left for the May trip, John had planned a business trip for May on which we would be accompanying him. That trip began with a couple of days in Tampa.

He had also found out about a trade show in August that would be held at the Yacht Club Convention Center. We would be going yet again!

I was pregnant with Charlie by the June trip.

We had one final trip that year, in November, for just a couple of days. I was really pregnant, but did get to enjoy the Food and Wine Festival for the first time.

I figured, with two young kids, my days of doing frequent Disney trips would be over, but then some things happened...One good, the rest, bad, that changed that.

On December 3 2004, my mother and best friend, was diagnosed with lung cancer. On January 28th, Charlie was born (That was the good...very good thing!) On February 8th, my dear mommy passed away. That, of course was the worst of the things, but to make things worse, the day after her funeral, my sister (who was, herself, six months pregnant) found out that her house in LA had been red tagged because of the mudslides and she would be going home to no home.

A week later my 14 year old Labrador, Maddie, had to be put to sleep. My dad had a (thank G-D minor) car accident during this time too.

On top of all of this turmoil, my parents had decided when it was clear that Mom wasn't going to survive, that Dad would trade houses with my husband, kids and I. His house was too big for him and carried too many memories, but he didn't want to sell it. We lived only a couple of miles apart and it seemed like the perfect solution. It really has been, but what it involved at the time was a move! My father and husband both travel a LOT for work, so that left me post C-Section, with a 2YO and a newborn, grieving for my mother, worrying about my sister and missing my dog while packing not one, but TWO households! In hindsight, the chaos probably helped me get through what may have been the worst time in my life, but at the time I was quite overwhelmed. I needed a strong dose of DISNEY!

John had a business trip planned in Orlando, but I hadn't planned on going with a 4 week old baby. I changed my mind! John got us flights and we were off to WDW.

It wasn't a cure for my grief and stress, but it sure helped! I also learned that I could, in fact, handle two young children on my own at the Disney parks! I renewed my AP with hopes of a few more trips.

I returned home with some renewed focus and energy.

John once again had to do the trade show at the Yacht Club (this time we actually stayed there!) in July and another business trip in August.

In December, my best friend and her family were going for their first Disney trip. Because John didn't want to go, I took a family friend and the kids and went for a week at the same time as my friends.

In 2006, we had several trips. One in March, 4 days in DLR in April, a week at WDW in may for the F&G Festival.

In September, I had a special trip. Annika and I had become avid Pin Traders (I even potty trained her with pins!) and I noticed that there was a big Pin Trading Event that September at Epcot. It happened to fall on my 40th birthday! John stayed home with Charlie and Annika and I went for 5 nights with free dining! It was our Girls Only Trip!

We also had a big family trip to WDW planned for early December. There would be 12 of us staying in 3 Wilderness cabins. In the mean time John took us along on another business trip in November so I got to experience the F&W festival yet again.

Our December family trip was great but exhausting. Charlie was at a difficult age and by the time we went home I was kind of over WDW for a while. I love the place, but didn't think I could handle it with my kids at their particular developmental stages!

There were NO trips in 2007. We learned a valuable lesson from this. I need sunshine in the winter. I suffer from SAD (seasonal affective dissorder) and without a dose of sunshine, the winters get VERY LONG for me!

More later...time to go to the playground.

 

[TCKK]

Okay. I'm hooked. Sounds like you've been having some great trips. We'll be at Pop August 6-16th. Who knows, maybe we'll run into each other in the parks. We'll probably have our LGMH's on our bags or something.